Ryhope, Stockton in championship crunch showdown

Malcolm Pratt

SECOND-TOP Ryhope CW hosts leaders Stockton Town in a crunch match tomorrow, with the outcome sure to have a significant bearing on the destination of the Wearside League championship.

Both teams have six games to play and Stockton lead their rivals by three points.

A win for the Wearsiders would lift them into pole position because of their superior goal advantage.

The sides go into the game on the back of 4-1 victories in midweek, but a blow for Ryhope is the news that three players are ruled out.

Martin Metcalfe and Lee Owens are working, while Ross Stead serves a ban.

The unavailability list could grow to a lengthy seven players should Michael Charlton, Richard Jordan, James Cook and Callum Charlton fail fitness tests.

Stockton have been in superb form for several weeks and it was a rare event when goalkeeper Michael Arthur conceded a goal on Wednesday.

Unlike Ryhope, they have only one selection concern, with Luke Whittaker’s fitness to be decided before kick-off.

Manager Stephen Gill welcomes Scott Meehan back into an 18-man squad which gives him plenty of options.

The Teessiders will be out to avenge a 5-1 defeat earlier in the season.

Silksworth CW are at Wolviston for their penultimate fixture and the good news for the club and striker Andrew Place is that he came though unscathed after making his comeback, scoring twice on Monday night.

Place, who has been out for six months with an achilles injury, is again named along with the returning Liam Hodgson, Michael Brunning, Micky Smith and James Hepinstall.

Wolviston will name virtually their strongest line-up, their only absentee being Andrew McGirr, who completes a three-match ban.